Talk:Jonathan Cummings
Draft of non canon bio for GEN Jonathan Cummings Please comment on this draft! :Jonathan L. Cummings was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1945. :Cummings joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at City College of New York and became a member of the Pershing Rifles (the City College ROTC’s fraternity and drill team). He graduated from college in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in history and he was commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant (2LT). :2LT Cummings served as a platoon leader with the Third Armored Division in West Germany from 1967 to 1968. In 1968, he was promoted to First Lieutenant (1LT) and received orders for the Republic of Vietnam. He joined the 11th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division (the Americal Division) and served a full tour from 1968-1969: for the first six months as a platoon leader and for the next six months as Asst S-3 (Operations) officer in battalion headquarters. During his tour in Vietnam he earned a Purple Heart, a Combat Infantry Badge, and a Bronze Star. :1LT Cummings returned to the United States in 1969 and completed the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Bragg. He was assigned to 1st Brigade (Airborne), 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in West Germany from 1969 to 1971: first as executive officer of a rifle company and, following promotion to Captain (CPT) in 1971, as a company commander. During his time in Europe, he earned Bundeswehr and British Army jump wings. :CPT Cummings returned to the United States again in 1971 and he was assigned to the Army Airborne School at Fort Bragg. Later that year, following a whirlwind courtship, he married Alma, the daughter of a Colonel in the 82nd Airborne Division. :CPT Cummings completed his assignment at Fort Bragg in 1972 and obtained an Army bursary to attend George Washington University in Washington, DC. He earned an MBA in 1974 with a concentration in organizational theory. His eldest son was born in 1973. :CPT Cummings set himself a personal challenge in 1974 and requested assignment to the newly formed 75th Ranger Regiment. He completed Ranger School that year (at age 29, he was a decade older than many of the other trainees) and joined the regiment’s newly formed 2nd Battalion in 1975. He served with the battalion from 1975 to1977: first as battalion S3, and following promotion to Major (MAJ) in 1976, as battalion executive officer. His eldest daughter was born in 1976. :MAJ Cummings attended the Command and General Staff College from 1977 to 1978 and on graduation he was assigned to a staff posting with 9th Theater Support Command, United States Army Japan (USARJ). He served in Japan from 1978 to 1980, during which time he earned Japanese and Republic of Korea jump wings. His youngest daughter was born in 1979. :MAJ Cummings was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) in 1980 at the same time as his appointment to a White House Fellowship. He served for a year as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior, during which time he formed valuable government connections. :LTC Cummings was appointed as a battalion commander with 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in West Germany in 1981 and served in that position for two years before rotating back to the United States in 1983. He received a coveted appointment as executive officer of the Ranger Training Brigade at Fort Benning and he was serving in this role when 75th Ranger Regiment received orders to participate in Operation Urgent Fury (the invasion and liberation of Grenada). Somehow, Cummings wrangled his way onto an aircraft carrying the Ranger battalion that dropped on Port Salines airport and distinguished himself in the battle that followed. He received an official reprimand for his unauthorized participation in the operation, and a Silver Star and a Purple Heart for his actions during the battle itself. :LTC Cummings spent 1984 convalescing from injuries sustained in Grenada, but refused to remain idle. He attended classes at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and devoted additional time to his family. :LTC Cummings returned to active duty in 1985 and he was assigned to the Pentagon as a staff officer to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. He served at DoD from 1985 to 1987, during which time he was promoted to Colonel (COL) (1986) and somehow managed to continue his studies at Georgetown. He earned a master’s degree in security studies from the School of Foreign Service in 1987… an earned the epithet “two brains” from some of his contemporaries. :COL Cummings was assigned to 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, WA in 1987 as commander of the division’s 2nd Brigade. He served as brigade commander for a year before reassignment as the division’s chief of staff. During this period he purchased a ’68 Pontiac GTO and began devoting his precious spare time to the restoration of his classic car. :COL Cummings was promoted to Brigadier General (BG) in 1989 and joined 82nd Airborne Division Corps at Fort Bragg as deputy commander. He served in the position for six months before reassignment to Headquarters Central Army Group (CENTAG) in Heidelberg, West Germany. He served in Germany from 1990 to 1992 and he was heavily involved in the deployment of US forces from Europe to the Persian Gulf for the 1990-91 Gulf War (although he was reportedly bitterly disappointed that he was not directly involved in military operations during the war). :BG Cummings returned to the United States in 1992 and he was promoted to Major General (MG). He was assigned to 7th Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Ord, CA as the new division commander and served in the position for six months before reassignment as deputy corps commander of VII Corps in Germany. He served in the position for 18-months before returning to the United States in 1994. :MG Cummings was assigned as divisional commander of the 78th Training Division at Fort Dix, NJ in 1994 and served in the position for a year. In 1995 he was promoted to Lieutenant General (LG) and appointed as the commander of Third Army at Fort McPhearson, GA. He was awarded the Legion of Merit in recognition of his continued service with the United States military. :LG Cummings was serving as commander of Third Army at the outbreak of war in 1996 and he deployed his headquarters into its theater of operations in July. The forces under his command were heavily engaged in combat throughout the remainder of 1996 and into early 1997. :LG Cummings was recalled to the United States in February 1997 and promoted to General (GEN). He was appointed commander of Forces Command (FORSCOM) and applied his formidable organization talents to mobilizing Reserve divisions, redeveloping Training divisions into field formations, and managing the activation of the Selective Service program. :GEN Cummings worked closely with President John Tanner throughout the period and was a frequent guest at the White House and at Camp David. The smooth operation of the Selective Service program, during which time thousands of young men were drafted into the military, was due to the good relationship that Cummings developed with Tanner and members of the administration. Following the sudden death of Admiral Jeremiah from a heart attack in August 1997, it was no surprise to Washington insiders that Cummings was recommended for appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. --Davidbober 00:44, 3 December 2008 (UTC) I wouldn't have him be CG Third Army, also, are we sure his middle initial is L? To quote RDF Sourcebook: "The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) reported itself ready for deployment to the Middle East on October 21st. CENTCOM's forward headquarters element was already deployed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The commanding officer of CENTCOM, General Vincent Barbaneri, urged the Joint Chief of Staff to deploy CENTCOM immediately before the Soviets moved into the region." (pg 4, "1996" section) It wasn't Cummings in the job. Perhaps he gets a post in TRADOC HQ after his stint with the 78th, then moves to FORSCOM. I'd also be careful about adapting training divisions into field units. There simply wasn't the doctrine to do so and in 1996-97 pre-TDM, there wouldn't be a recognized need. Cummings would know that after his time with the 78th and he would not agree to such a proposal pre-TDM...post TDM...another story. I'd also have the good Admrial shuffle off sooner. "Gateway to the Spanish Main" writes: "The painting shows Captain Mark Cummings and his wife, Maryjo, with Loretta Ann between them and both sets of grandparents behind them. Besides Dan and April, General Jonathan Cummings and his late wife Glenda are plainly visible.Military player characters will instantly recognize General J. Cummings, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and de facto Commander-in-Chief of the Military Government of the United States, from photos posted in every orderly room and barracks in every branch of the armed forces for the past eight years. If they have not figured out just who Loretta Ann Cummings is by this point, the painting should make the connection painfully clear." (pg 47, "Dangerous Dan Rojos Bio") So, assuming the date in Spanish Main is 2001...then Cummings is CJCS since 1992-93. Looks like I need to age him up It looks like he needs to be older, so that he can become CJCS earlier. That would also help making sure that his son, Mark, is of an appropriate age. It could also make his other children old enough to be in the service, which could allow GMs to introduce them as surprise NPCs in their own house rules. Looks like I need to change his wife's name to Glenda. As for the middle initial "L", that's a blatant steal from Colin Luther Powell. That's also where I blatantly stole the Pershing Rifles bio, the classic car fixation, and other miscellaneous info. --Davidbober 04:16, 3 December 2008 (UTC) Here's a solution--- Well, considering Rojos saves Cummings life at Ia Drang as a 2LT, that means 1965..which means Cummings graduates school 1963-64 or earlier. You could say '61 or '62 and he winds up with the 82nd just in time for the move to Florida for the Cuban Missile Crisis. Let's assume he's 21 in 1962...that then means he was born...1941. Fits well and works nicely.JWeiser123 14:27, 3 December 2008 (UTC)